Lab Animal Medicine Residency Program

We are accepting veterinarians who have graduated from an AVMA-accredited veterinary school and passed the NAVLE, or have graduated from a non-AVMA-accredited institution and completed the requirements for the Educational Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates (ECFVG). Candidates must be licensed to practice veterinary medicine in at least one US state before joining the program.

Our AAALAC-accredited laboratory animal program is diverse and the Animal Resources program supports traditional biomedical as well as agriculture research. Residents work in a variety of facilities, including state of the art rodent vivaria, mixed-species vivaria, a hoof-stock research facility, traditional barns, farms, and infectious disease facilities (ABSL2, ABSL3 and BSL3-Ag).

In addition, residents work in our Nonhuman Primate Core facility and gain experience with gnotobiotic animals.

The College has a large, well-respected pathology department. Residents work with their faculty to gain a better understanding of laboratory animal pathology. In addition, they work with the section head of microbiology / molecular biology in the Athens Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory to learn about diagnostic testing specific to a laboratory animal setting.

Residents participate in all aspects of the animal care and use program including disease prevention, health surveillance, and clinical care of the animals. In consultation with the veterinary staff and researchers, they develop diagnostic and treatment plans. Residents participate in the evening and weekend on-call rotation.

In addition, residents assist with assuring proper compliance with mandatory government and institutional regulations, participate on the IACUC, and provide instruction in the care and use of laboratory animals to researchers and staff. Residents are also provided time to work on a hypothesis-driven research project with the goal of producing a first-author peer-reviewed journal article. If interested, a Master’s degree may be pursued.

Yes. Because Athens is only one hour from Atlanta, our residents also interact with laboratory animal residents and faculty at other programs including Emory University, Yerkes National Primate Resource Center, and the Centers for Disease Control.

For application information, please contact the program coordinator.